Tolkien Drabbles: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit
by ZdenkaWaldner
Summary: Drabbles set during the Third Age of Middle-earth. (Exactly 100 words as counted by MS Word. Gen and femslash; warning for character death. Summaries and characters listed in the first chapter.) Most recent: Gildor's hope of victory.
1. Table of Contents

**Table of Contents**

1\. Table of Contents

2\. Killed With Kindness - A notorious future queen advances her plans. (Queen Berúthiel, OCs)

3\. (untitled) - Knowledge is for the Wise. (Saruman)

4\. (untitled) - Elrond considers the Sword Reforged. (Elrond)

5\. (untitled) - Éomer's first meeting with Aragorn on the plains of Rohan. (Éomer, Aragorn)

6\. (untitled) - Dernhelm sets out. (Éowyn)

7\. King and Healer - Even the King must sometimes lose a patient. (Aragorn, OCs)

8\. (untitled) - Dís does her part to support her family after the Battle of Azanulbizar. (Dís, Thorin, Thrain)

9\. (untitled) - Aragorn finds new meaning in a book from Elrond's library. (Aragorn)

10\. (untitled) - Rosie has a surprising encounter by the stream. (Goldberry/Rosie Cotton)

11\. To Weave the Garlands of Repose - Lothíriel's love for her garden is returned. (Lothíriel/Yavanna)

12\. The Sun in Love - Arien is captivated by Arwen's beauty. (one-sided Arien/Arwen)

13\. Tarrying Here a While - Gildor's hope of victory. (Gildor Inglorion)


	2. Killed With Kindness

"May I speak with the King's mother?" Berúthiel requested sweetly. Beside her padded a small black cat whose fur matched her gown.

Widowed Queen Iandis gestured for her handmaiden to pour wine. "What brings you here, Lady Berúthiel?"

Berúthiel lowered her eyes. "To seek your pardon."

Iandis nodded kindly. "I am not angry. But you cannot wed the King." While they spoke, Iandis's handmaid watched distrustfully. Her eyes never wavered, until the cat's sharp teeth sank into her ankle. At her outcry, Iandis turned to look.

Berúthiel's hand fluttered lightly over Iandis's cup.

That evening, Lady Iandis was taken ill.

* * *

 _ **Notes:**_

Written for Back to Middle-earth Month 2012. Prompt I18: "Cause of Death: Poison."

According to a footnote by Christopher Tolkien in _Unfinished Tales_ , Queen Berúthiel was "the nefarious, solitary, and loveless wife of Tarannon, twelfth King of Gondor." She had ten cats which spied for her and helped her terrorize the kingdom.


	3. Chapter 3

Saruman pored long hours over the ancient scrolls in Minas Tirith. Many things found there had now passed from the memory of Men – short-lived mayflies that they were. At last, he deemed he had drawn from there what knowledge he could. He lingered over one volume, then slipped it into his robes. It was unlikely to be missed, and in any case they would not dare accuse him of theft. Saruman smiled coldly. No, such knowledge by right belonged to the Wise. And by taking the book, he made it more difficult for any meddler to follow in his footsteps.

* * *

 ** _Notes:_**

Written for Back to Middle-earth Month 2012. Prompt N38: "Book Title: The Book Thief."


	4. Chapter 4

Elrond drew the sword his smiths had brought him and held it up, testing and examining it from every angle. "It is well," he said at last. "I will bring it to him." The smiths bowed and departed.

Light flashed across the blade, stirring memory: the fierce deadly struggle at the gates of Mordor, the terrible beauty of this sword in Elendil's hand. Now Elrond's duties lay elsewhere than war, and his aid for the Company was chiefly in counsel. But Elendil's heir would go forth bearing Elendil's sword. Much depends, he thought, on the strength or weakness of Men.

* * *

 ** _Notes:_**

Written for B2MeM 2012. Prompt N41: "TVTropes of Tolkien: The Obi-Wan." I used Elrond rather than Gandalf for this because I was feeling contrary.

TVTropes defines The Obi-Wan as "A mentor who travels with the main character and often has some sort of magic powers or at least a brilliant mind. Even though this character is better skilled, faster and more experienced than the protagonist, they aren't The Hero, either because they are not The Chosen One or because they have already grown too old for the task. . . . Expect him to have a very calm attitude as if he has wisdom that he will give out in his own due time. . . . The Obi-Wan can also play Mr. Exposition and as The Chooser of The One."


	5. Chapter 5

Words with the strangers flared quickly into a quarrel. Éomer moved to attack, knowing the Elf's swift arrow might end his life. No matter; his éored would avenge him and the intruders would fall.

The tall Man threw himself between them, urging peace. But he was no craven. For a moment Éomer's sword was nigh to his throat, yet he flinched not, but met the Marshal's eyes with a calm, level gaze.

Éomer's heart sang with delight at what he read there. I will slay this man if I must, he thought, but I will take no joy in it.

* * *

 ** _Notes:_**

Written for B2MeM 2012. Prompt I21: "TVTropes of Tolkien: Worthy Opponent."

What struck me most when I was considering what to do for this prompt is how seldom Tolkien uses this trope. Here (and elsewhere), it's averted a few moments later, as Éomer quickly becomes a friend and ally.


	6. Chapter 6

Dernhelm is not afraid. Her heart is stern, her hand is strong; she will not disgrace her name, though they think her Rider rather than shieldmaiden. How could she fear, when her greatest desire is a worthy death? Yet she can still feel pity. In the Halfling, she sees her own longing: not to be left behind, useless, when noble work is to be done. And he is loyal; she would love him for that, if nothing else.

Windfola shakes his head, making his gear jingle. She holds out her hands to the Halfling and lifts him into the saddle.

* * *

 _ **Notes:**_

Written for B2MeM 2012. Prompt: Song Lyrics, O70: "Even though you're a big strong girl the best-made plans are your open hands" - Deb Talan - Big Strong Girl.


	7. King and Healer

"My lord!" The young healer tugged on the King's sleeve. "Come quickly."

Aragorn hastened to follow. The healers had bandaged the soldier's wounds and wrapped him in warm blankets, but when the King reached him he was pale, his forehead bathed in sweat. His eyes searched the room for something unknown. The King knelt beside him and clasped his hand. "Derufin. You have done well," he said firmly. The wounded man smiled and fell back lifeless.

Aragorn soberly met the young healer's stricken eyes. "You did all you could," he said gently, "but even a King cannot always defeat death."

* * *

 ** _Notes:_**

Written for Back to Middle-earth Month 2012. Prompts I18: "Aspects of Aragorn: Healer" and O72: "Cause of Death: Shock."


	8. Chapter 8

"To the anvil!" said Thorin when he returned from Azanulbizar.

"To the anvil!" Dís echoed him, her voice still touched by the higher tones of childhood, and their father Thráin smiled grimly. She already knew enough to assist her father and brother in the forge, but now she learned to make nails and horseshoes, lanterns and farm tools for the folk of Eriador. It was long, tedious work with little room for craft or beauty, but it kept her family and her people from starving or beggary. And with each hammer blow, she sang the death-song for her brother Frerin.


	9. Chapter 9

Written for Fandom Stocking 2015.

* * *

Elrond's library has always been a refuge for Estel. There are no children here his own age; the books are his companion and consolation.

Now he takes a book down from the shelf: the life and deeds of the chieftains of the Dúnedain. He holds the book in his hands for a moment. He has read it before, many times; but it is different now that he knows. _These are my ancestors. My family._

He turns the pages to the very end, to Arathorn son of Arador, and traces the letters of Arathorn's name with an unsteady hand. _My father._


	10. Chapter 10

Written for femslash100 Drabble Tag Round 7, for the prompt: "The Lord of the Rings: Goldberry/Rosie: ground."

* * *

Rosie stopped in astonishment and almost dropped her laundry basket. On the bare ground by the stream, there sat a woman: tall as one of the Big People and dripping wet, combing her golden hair. Her green gown was wet also, clinging to her body in intriguing ways, and Rosie felt her cheeks flush.

The woman smiled, her eyes bright with laughter. She touched Rosie's cheek with damp fingers and slipped into the water, disappearing without a ripple.

Rosie would have thought it a dream; but when she looked down, there was a single water lily lying by her feet.


	11. To Weave the Garlands of Repose

Written for the Silmarillion Writers' Guild/Silmladylove Tolkien Femslash Week Bingo, for the prompts:

Crack Pairings: Lothíriel/Yavanna (O43)  
Four Words: limit, daisies, cotton, hopeful (O43)

The drabble title is from the poem "The Garden" by Andrew Marvell.

* * *

It is not easy to grow a garden by the seaside. Ever hopeful, Lothíriel coaxes forth daisies, bright sea-roses, and climbing vines to adorn the stone of Dol Amroth. It is not only stubbornness; she loves her small garden devotedly, without limit.

Lying on her back among the flowers, watching the clouds like puffs of cotton, she drowses and dreams of a woman tall and golden-haired. "Because you have loved growing things, you will have my love," she says, and her body presses pleasantly against Lothíriel's.

Lothíriel blushes when she awakes, and the grass touches her cheek like a caress.


	12. The Sun in Love

Written for Tolkien Femslash Week Bingo, for the prompt:

Crack Pairings: Arien/Arwen (I15)

* * *

Arien looks down upon Imladris and is enraptured. The maiden's grace of movement, her long dark hair, the starry light in her eyes that shows her a descendant of Lúthien—

Arien is not like foolish Tilion; she will not forsake her duty for love. She guides the vessel of the Sun faithfully and does not linger on the horizon even a moment past her appointed time, much though she wishes to. But every tree and flower that Arwen loves is lavished with the Sun's rays until it flourishes, and the sunlight will only ever touch her gently and not burn.


	13. Tarrying Here a While

Written for the Imzy Multifandom Drabble Exchange.

* * *

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel!" Gildor sings, and the shadows draw back—for a little while.

He has called no land his home since Nargothrond fell. Wherever he wanders, he sings protection and healing as his lord once taught him, striving always against Sauron.

Either there will be total defeat, sweeping like a black wave over the land, and his end will come as he fights in some dark place—

Or a grey ship will bear him westward, to that Light he remembers reflected in Finrod's eyes. And Gildor will kneel there before him and say, "My lord, your Enemy is fallen."


End file.
